Michael Meldman
As the founder of Valley-based Discovery Land Company, Meldman is often jetting from Montana to Mexico—and everywhere in between—to Discovery’s portfolio of luxury properties. However, the longtime Arizonan still calls Scottsdale home, along with his two sons.

What does “power” mean to you?
To be happy, successful and influence people’s lives in a positive way.
What impact do you strive to have on the Valley?
We are based here in Scottsdale so we continue to create jobs, but I am most proud of the impact we have had on families. We create communities that bring people closer because everyone can enjoy our properties together—the generational aspect of our communities impacts relationships between all members of the family. I also try to have a positive impact on the environment by continuing to develop responsibly. When developing Estancia, we worked to preserve and donate the landmark Pinnacle Peak back to the city so that residents as well as visitors to Phoenix could enjoy it as a public park and hiking trail. It was a wonderful way to give back to the community.
How do you face challenges such as the recession?
Stick to your knitting. In other words, stay true to your core values. When the recession hit and we faced the challenges in the market, we never wavered in our commitment to quality, excellence and exceptional service. The economy never impacted how we operate. I believe that our buyers respected and appreciated that and trusted us enough to buy even in a tough market which allowed us to survive the downturn.
Why do you choose to live in Arizona?
Arizona is my home. I grew up here and went to Madison Simis Grade School and Camelback High School. I went away to college but my family is still here, and I currently reside in Scottsdale. I will always consider this my hometown.
What one superpower would you like to possess?
To travel at the speed of light because sometimes I really need to be in two places at once.